About the Practice

 

Yoga Nidra is Sanskrit for Yogic Sleep, and is a form of guided meditation that changes our brainwaves and aims to lead you to a state of deep relaxation. 

It involves no physical movement and is suitable for all to try.

 

If I lead an evening practice, the aim is usually to help you to wind down at the end of the day, but Yoga Nidra can be practiced any time of day and can even provide a little boost of energy. 

 

You are encouraged to get comfortable, in a lying down or slightly reclined position & to relax or close your eyes, whilst you are guided through a systematic method of sensory withdrawal, known as Pratyahara. This encourages the physical body and the thinking mind to rest - you could say, we are putting them to sleep. 

 

During Yoga Nidra we aim to stay awake and aware, following the voice of the instructor. We are aiming to reach a relaxed state of consciousness; the mind is resting in a place between wakefulness and sleep.

When we are awake, our brain is in Beta waves but as soon as we start to relax or take part in stress-relieving activities, such as meditation, Yoga or mindful walking, our brain moves into Alpha waves, which are scientifically proven to lower levels of anxiety, depression and stress.

Alpha waves boost the right hemisphere of our brain which supports intuition, imagination and creativity! Our minds feel calmer and clearer and we experience feelings of inner peace and tranquility. Brainwave frequencies are slowing down as we move through the practice, and we eventually enter into Delta waves, similar to what we would experience in deep restful sleep. 

 

Starting to relax the Physical Body

The starting point to help the physical body relax, is the position of the body itself; making sure we are comfortable and there are no distractions on or around us.

 

Setting a Sankalpa / Heart Felt Desire

As you settle into stillness and a more relaxed state, you are invited to set a Sankalpa.

San, means "a connection with the highest truth," and kalpa, means "vow.", therefore you are affirming a resolve to do something or achieve something spiritual and in alignment with your highest good.

Think of it as a positive vision for your life, that could be related to health, emotional & mental wellbeing, love, relationships & achievements. It doesn't come from a place of greed or grasping and you must understand that simply setting a Sankalpa, does not mean it will come true. You have to put the work in to get there.... the Sankalpa is the belief that it's possible.

You work with a Sankalpa until it becomes true or until you feel it no longer aligns with you.

 

Rotation of Conscious to relax the Physical Body

You are then guided through a body scan (rotation of consciousness) and invited to follow along, resting your awareness on each body part when mentioned and inviting the area to identify and release any tensions.

 

As you are focusing on the sound of the instructors voice, all other senses start to withdraw and the mind is a little freer and less overwhelmed. 

 

Breath Awareness - Energy Body

Yoga Nidra is a journey through the Koshas (layers or sheaths of energy around your soul - Atman - Self) The first layer is your physical body - Annamaya Kosha, and the second is your breath body - Pranamaya Kosha.

 

You are invited to focus on your breath and perhaps work through various different breathing techniques, that encourage you to breathe evenly, slow down & relax a little further.

 

Opposites - Emotions/Mental Body

Noticing opposite sensations in the body invites us to witness feelings and emotions with the aim to not judge them, change them or make them go away. These opposites might be cold/hot, sharp/smooth, light/heavy, happy/sad. There are lots!

We are bought up to believe certain feelings and emotions are good or bad. Here we don't have to ignore feelings, we can recognise them and witness the opposite to help balance it out; welcoming each sensation as though they are neither good or bad, just energy passing through.

 

Visualisations / Rapid Imagery - Wisdom Body

Depending on the length of the practice and what the instructor's aim is, you might be guided through a visualisation or a series of images, one after the other. This is focusing on our intellect or wisdom body - Vijnanamaya Kosha. 

Through visualisation, we are observing ourselves. It's our intuition and we are listening, watching and observing from a deeper inner state. 

The mind has a tendency to wander and get lost down it's own trains of thought, so this encourages us to stick with the story laid out by the instructor, so that we don't get lost.

The rapid imagery doesn't give our mind time to fluctuate as we are already moving onto the next image. 

 

Before slowly returning, you are asked to repeat your Sankalpa.

 

Reaching Atman - Self - Bliss Body

Yoga aims to uncover our true nature, and Yoga Nidra is one of the routes to helping us achieve that. If we have moved through the Koshas successfully and managed to put them to sleep, whilst remaining awake and aware (so not actually falling asleep), we might experience an overall feeling of bliss, complete wholeness. Unity of body, breath and mind

 

 

As with anything, we are more likely to experience the benefits through regular practice of Yoga Nidra. There's no set timeline or requirement for this, as it's an individual experience but the more you practice the more benefits you may notice. 

Yoga Nidra can affect people differently; You may feel relaxed and sleepy afterwards, or more energised, or you may have an emotional experience. This is a deep practice of entering layers of yourself which you might not be aware of or don't acknowledge during your waking day.

 

It's also ok to acknowledge that the practice isn't for you. Sometimes lying down to rest and focus, can be the hardest thing we do if our minds are racing or we feel anxious. You might need to do some Yoga Asana or go for a run to let out tension or nervous energy in other ways, before settling down.

 

No prior experience or knowledge is needed.

 

1-2-1 Yoga Nidra Sessions are available, personalised just for you.

Get in touch for more information.